Barasti, the Dubai beach bar that has seen many a wild night, is getting wild quite literally. Housed in its tropical-themed summer tent, fittingly dubbed The Lost World, the bar’s newest brunch is a raucous affair, especially for a Saturday afternoon.
Think all things jungle: from deep verdant vines and lush tress to sounds of wild animals in the distance and birds, monkeys, snakes and dinosaurs poised mid-flight/leap/crawl all over the tent.
But unlike an actual jungle, things are kept nice and cool at 23 degrees Celsius, or so we’re told. Because, half an hour into our brunch, we could feel ourselves breaking into a sweat just sitting at our spot; several guests had taken to fanning themselves with the menu cards at one point. This doesn’t stop the festivities, however. There’s cheery live music and when the summer hits of the ’90s are playing, it’s hard not to sing and dance along.
Anyone who’s ever been to Barasti will tell you that its charm lies in the venue itself, and not so much the food options on offer. And that stands true for its brunch, too. The tent is truly magnificent, and the long wooden tables and chairs add to the fun, communal and sharing vibe. There’s also a life-size King Kong look-alike who found himself the star of many, many selfies.
The food stations are set up as little trucks on the periphery of the tent. The spread features the usual suspects: from an appetisers set, featuring salads, cheese and tidbits to roast chicken, pastas and lots of pizza.
From the appetisers, the chicken wings and calamari rings were a standout for my brunch companion and myself, and we found ourselves guiltily gravitating towards the hot dog truck more than once. The true star of the afternoon, however, was the dessert truck, featuring strawberry cheesecake and fried ice cream, not for the faint of heart.
Head to the Wild Thing Jungle Brunch if you and your friends find yourselves in the mood to stretch your weekend plans on to a Saturday afternoon. It gets loud and quite disorienting as the afternoon progresses, so don’t expect any conversations to happen. This one’s exclusively for the party animals.
The details
What: Wild Thing Jungle Brunch
Where: Barasti, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort
Credit Card: Yes
Cost: Dh175 for women, Dh250 for men (inclusive of house beverages)
When: Every Saturday, 2-5pm
